Nerine

I've been thinking... it's really ironic that we are having to move to Australia to get the sort of lifestyle we thought we'd have in New Zealand: more 'outdoorsey', better weather, chance to be mortgage free, good salaries and lower cost of living, shorter commuting times on public transport, good education for the kids, better career opportunities for the whole family etc.

It set me wondering if there are other people like us, people who set off for NZ looking for something which is better found in Australia. Why do people choose NZ over Oz and how many of us realise the mistake and eventually make the hop across the ditch?

Our reasons for choosing NZ over Oz were
1. That's where the job offers came from first
2. At the time the visa application process was a lot easier for NZ
3. We thought Auckland's climate was comparable to Melbourne or Sydney's

lapsed kiwi

I find it ironic to read your post and to compare it with others in the "moving back to UK" section where people are complaining about Australia being too hot, too expensive and the houses too unaffordable. I wonder if that will be you in a few years' time?
Leaving aside the obvious that I was brought up here, my reasons for choosing NZ over Aus are:
- I don't like the extreme hot weather over there - alright for a brief holiday but not nice to work in
- A friend who lived in Sydney found it impossible to buy a house in a decent area near the coast and found the commuting hellish
- I think NZ has a more friendly feel to it
- I hate the Australian pseudo-Americanism; I feel that they are the wannabe US of the South Pacific

Each to his own though, and I hope Aus works out for you.

happynz

I was over in Aussie this past January and my impressions were that food and beer seemed a bit higher than New Zealand. I mean six dollars a kilo for bananas? Good thing wages are really good over the ditch.

Apple12

Good call! I often wonder if people realise that Oz isn't necessarily paradise either... and I hope they read the not-so-happy-in-Oz posts in the same way that they write the not-so-happy-in-NZ posts.

I especially chuckle over the "more outdoorsy" lifestyle that Nerine wants in Oz, so often people find that they don't have the outdoorsy lifestyle in Oz due to the flies, the early sunsets, and of course, the sticky heat! Not too mention the sharks and jellyfish in the sea, the snakes and spiders on the land.

I hope Nerine isn't moving to Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne or Adelaide The house prices there far outweigh the higher wages

Nerine

I'm moving to Brisbane because I love it there, so do the kids. Give me the heat! I would swop it anyday for a miserable Auckland winter and the two week long summer that follows it . The type of house we'd want seems to be a lot cheaper than the equivalent in the over populated, subdivided to hell North Shore but if we can be mortgage free so much the better.

Early sunsets means early mornings, being more of a morning person that suits me down to the ground. It also leaves the evenings free for outdoor events and bbqs....night time bbqs in NZ usually involve pulling on a jumper and huddling up to a patio heater. Mossies here and mossies there...what's the difference?

Not particularly bothered about jellyfish and sharks either, both of which are present off the NZ coast anyway, spiders and snakes don't seem to be an issue for most people.

Bananas...yea, a bit pricey, has something to do with plantations being flattened by a cyclone I believe but hey.... I can grow my own.

NZ has more of a friendly feel? really? not in my experience, Australians are far more outward going, self confident and wouldn't even know the meaning of the phrase "tall poppy syndrome" (they'd think it was something to do with using too much fertiliser )

Yes, it's more Americanised...good thing IMO...the work ethic is better, preferable to the "she'll be right" just do enough outlook on life in NZ. What's that advert?.....Kiwis don't fly they cruise....very apt .

Yep, Oz is everything that NZ should be.....but isn't.

thebears

Wow we paid 3 times that in November

sky

So what price a lettuce?

karonious

My Husband's reasons for choosing NZ?
No huge bush fires
No serial killers or such big murder cases as made the international press.

Most importantly and I kid you not:
No indigenous poisonous beasties:
They would probably have both my daughter and husband as mental health patients (not the phrase I thought better of and deleted!) and I would end up being paid to look after them both........hey, let's go to Aus!

For me: I just wanted to do something different with my life before I became too old to be able to change, make a new life and accrue a decent pension (f***ed up there then!) and Aus looked too sere and although I am the ultimate sun-worshipper, I know when enough is enough.
There, in a nutshell.
we are aware of the disparity in wages but hope that Steve's RAF pension will make a diffence to our standard of living.
It has been great so far but I am aware that our feelings may change in the future. But I am so enjoying life at the moment: I wish everyone the same joy in their lives that I find in mine.

sky

And who knows how long or short a life might be I'm very glad we came but I still don't like certain things here and cos I'm living the dream I reckon I can have a bit of a moan about the stuff I don't like here too

Dracula

I moved from NZ to OZ last year. Im in Brisbane btw. I agree with lapsed kiwi. I'm having to eat some major humble pie now, as I slated NZ before I left, promising friends I would never be back.

I can't wait to get back to NZ! OZ really offers nothing over NZ, except a bigger job market and hotter weather. But believe me, after 30+ degree days, day after day after day, I crave some cool breeze.

After looking at the pro's and con's of both countries I think NZ is slightly ahead.

It's true you earn more here, but OZ is definetly more expensive than NZ. Especially housing, cars and BEER!

Maz

Ooh! Ooh!



You've obviously never lived in the US. If you never want to see your family because you're working all hours god sends, then fine. If you want to be part of a faceless corporate identity, then you'll get along juuuuust peachy! And if you want to be shat on and taken for granted by Da Man who's ONLY interest is in corporate profits and placating the shareholders and the current government, then be my guest. Let's exchange residency rights

*wipes tear from eye after laughing, and clutches sides*

I'm sorry Nerine... it had to be said!

cyndi

I find myself agreeing with everything Maz has said. You've obviouslynever lived in the US.

Work ethics, I hope you weren't meaning they were like the American work ethics unless you meant "all work & no play" We managed to escape the US (& my OH is a yank) last year for all the reasons you are saying you hope to find in Oz. Well goodluck I hope you'll be very happy there.

Maz it's 28C here today about 82F & the humidity is low, absolutely gorgeous. I'd have had the A/C going full blast back ion the States due to the humidity

SarahB

We moved here coz OH got head hunted and offered a job here. He texted me one day saying "fancy moving to NZ?"... I texted back saying "yeah OK".

I wouldnt know if Oz is better than NZ as Ive never been there.

Genesis

Why NZ over Oz??

Oz is too big, too hot, too right politically speaking, in bed with the US, too many things to bite you, we could not have the disposable income there that we have here, we like Kiwis, I feel REALLY proud to be here..unlike I ever did in the UK, the Aboriginies are still being shat on bigstyle from what I can glean.....atleast the Maoris have a proper political party.

NZ is far from perfect and has some really serious issues. But we have seasons, we have fjords, glaciers, serious snow skiing and a country that does not take 4-5 hrs to cross by plane...making it all more accessible. Yet we still have endless space..out of the really big places.

Life in NZ is as near perfect for us as it ever could be. Oz is beautiful. I drove from Melb. to Bris. once. Utterly awesome..but not for me, for ever.

Horses for courses, aye??


Cheers, Dom x

Dracula

The 'abos' as they are affectionately called are nowhere near on the same level of redress as the Maori are. Not by a long way.

Basically out of sight out of mind....

Also, I have been shocked to find out that in OZ there is no streaming in schools. That means you get all the no-hopers in with the brainiacs.

Not sure if NZ is the same but that is crazy!!